American Airlines launches Sydney service next month, and this past week they just announced new service to Auckland, New Zealand which will begin in June.
We’re just now learning about some special elements of American’s Sydney service, and about Qantas’ plans for new U.S. routes as a result of their enhanced relationship with American.
American is going to offer a better inflight product on their Los Angeles – Sydney flights. (HT: One Mile at a Time)
Already American’s Boeing 777-300ER which will serve the route has a better business class seat than what’s offered by Qantas (although the Qantas A380 serving Sydney – Los Angeles has a better first class).
Here’s the business class that American will be offering:
Unquestionably though Qantas offers the better first class.
American will offer pajamas in business class which matches Qantas. And they will offer improved coffee as well. As I know well from my Aussie family, they’re serious about coffee Down Under and mock what most of us Americans drink mercilessly. I’ve also heard that American has consulted with Qantas inflight dining on meal service as well.
I love my American Airlines pajamas. I have several pairs, and they’re my preferred ones to bring with me on other long haul flights that won’t offer PJs. They was well and they’re comfortable.
No word, though, on whether business class will get non-skid slippers for this flight.
Appearing at a joint event with American Airlines CEO Doug Parker, the CEO of Qantas speculated that when they start receiving Boeing 787-9s in 2017 they could fly Melbourne – Dallas and Sydney – Chicago.
Doug Parker explained the simple reason why the joint venture — which has yet to receive approval in its new form — makes sense for both consumers and the airlines.
“Another great example of the joint venture is that we have different fleets that have different planes that do different missions,” said Parker.
“We can’t fly DFW to Sydney but Qantas can, and consumers get that benefit and we share in that. And we have the better airplane right now to fly LA-Auckland with the 787, so we serve that.
The new routes that Qantas is dangling, tied to their joint venture with American, could be designed to push for regulatory approval. But they’re also exciting. More capacity between the US and Australia would be great for consumers, driving down prices and even making award travel reasonably possible.
Great news if they start these new flights. Wonder how it will impact UA?
Will the SYD-ORD actually be structured will a stop at LAX or DFW instead of a direct flight? Otherwise this will be way above the longest routes in the world.
Sydney-Chicago? Wow, now that would be one hell of a long flight no matter the class of service. But, as I live in Wisconsin I love the possibility of it
@Gary,
Based on your article, an based on the numerous ways og reaching ie. LAX-SYD.
I know that this not might be the right fora to address this matter, but of course there is a competition on transporting US (West-Coast) to the Australian continent. This is basically
the same as from Europe.
There is a very selective market for this kind of transportation between central Europe and Australia. Most of the legacy European carriers gave up the routes to AUS, only BA has a service commitment all the way down-under.
In my opinion, an based on the cost level of “hovering” crew all over the world, using Asian Alliance partners has become a good way of serving the Australia market, hence that I am not sure of KLM, they might be doing all the work from AMS to SYD with a stop in KUL.
Being a senior in this game, I recall my Danish friend being CSD with BA.
Once away to the Oceanic continent, they spent close to 3 weeks away from the home base (LHR), wobbling between SIN, HKG and BKK – with the only intention of flying pax. to Australia.
If not nonstop, I would hope that the ORD–SYD would stop somewhere where QF would have local traffic rights, such as YVR or Fiji or Tahiti!
The coffee AA is currently serving on transatlantic flights is nothing more than swill. It is unbelievably bad – didn’t used to be bad (like earlier this year), but it is now. They now serve it out of plastic pitchers into paper cups (in coach).
I love my American Airlines’ PJs, but the PJ’s I bring when I don’t know I’ll receive some? Lufthansa. They’re lighter, easier to pack, and have pockets.
Looks like competition is heating up a bit in that side of the globe…